I've seen a really beautiful and strange insect around my neighborhood, in yards and by the park. It's about an inch long and is shaped like a big ant. It's a deep sapphire-blue/black with black wings. Sorry I have no picture, it's always gone by the time I get my camera.
The first time I saw it I thought it might be a queen ant due to its size and shape, but I've seen several now and I didn't think queen ants would be out and about that much. I went most of my life without ever seeing one and now I've seen this about five times. But I'm no expert.
Any suggestions where I could start looking up what it may be?
2007-10-08 06:36:17 · 2 answers · asked by KC 7 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
BNP: possibly. I didn't get quite that close. Do they live in AZ?
Ock: I looked up mud dauber and that's also possible, we do have black widows here and I would be very happy for the presence of a natural predator!
2007-10-08 06:51:50 · update #1
It sounds like a dirt dauber. I'm not sure how it's spelled, but what you've just described sounds just like a dirt dauber. They build nests made out of mud and fill the nests with spiders to feed their babies. When I was little I used to try and catch them all the time because they were such a pretty color blue.
2007-10-08 06:41:52 · answer #1 · answered by Manx 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Was it this?
http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/sphecidwasps/chlorion.html
2007-10-08 06:46:12 · answer #2 · answered by BNP 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋